Thread by @SteveEnglishbey

I briefly mentioned this book last yr ["Overcoming Gravity"]. This is a VERY good inquiry into the value of body weight exercises. VERY much relates to the kinds of exercises I have developed for hitters/pitchers over the last 20 yrs.

Here's the article I cited last yr:
stevenlow.org/the-fundamenta…

I want to highlight a few points from this article:
"Impressive levels of strength that can be built by using bodyweight strength training for the upper body as the progressions require excellent proprioception and kinesthetic control. "

"Manipulating the body in space increases feedback via mechanoreceptors, cerebellar system, and other neural factors, which when combined altogether gives a solidly programmed bodyweight exercise a similar effect ......"

"....... compared to weights in terms of upper body strength development while developing impressive skills."

"Force output is based upon cross sectional area of the muscle, angle of attack on the joint, individual limb length, but most importantly neural factors. Developing neural factors quickly in conjunction with the strength and mass will help you gain impressive results quickly."

"Decreased leverage is the key to strength."

"Rather than increasing weights or adding weight to the body, gymnastics and other bodyweight sports provide structured progressions through which the stimulus on the muscles can be increased without increases in body mass. "

"This is done through decreasing leverage. Decreasing leverage in exercise is primarily employed through two different methods."

Now, let me add to this as regards "decreasing leverage." There are numerous ways to do this. One way is via manipulation of the body posture relative to gravitational effects. [Think, for ex. of reducing inertia of the figure skater via tucking the arms.].

Or, [for ex.] one can manipulate the tension length relationship either within or among muscles or muscle systems.

The author makes reference to this physiological fact: "We all know that muscles are strongest at near resting length as that is the point where the most contractile fibers overlap."

And: "Thus, if we lengthen or shorten muscles and then place the same load on the body, we are effectively requiring more force from the muscle when it is weaker."

So, the point is [both by myself and this author],is that one can create bodyweight exercises that can create resistance that yields greater strength adaptations.

AND, I would argue [and so would this author] will yield a greater degree of KINESTHETIC AWARENESS of how the body can [and should] create loading/movement in the "real world" ......

.....of loading/unloading WITHOUT any external impositions OTHER than the ground and gravity [eg., pitchers do NOT have barbells attached to themselves on the mound!!].

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